1. Field of the Disclosure
The field of the present invention is the injection-molding of plasticized materials, in particular plastic.
2. Related Art
Injection molds for producing articles from a plurality of plastic components or parts are known in the art. In addition to solutions based on turntables arranged in a parting plane, molds with a rotating, cube-like central part are also known.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,023 from Klöckner Ferromatik Desma GmbH discloses an injection molding device with a central part arranged between two outer parts which can move relative to each other along spars of an injection molding machine. The rotatable central part is floatingly mounted on two separate guide rods arranged parallel to the spars of the injection molding machine. The guide rods protrude from one of the die platens of the injection molding machine. The arrangement allows only small central parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,711 from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. discloses a device for producing brushes. A cube-shaped central part, which is rotated in 90° increments about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the spar, is arranged between two outer parts which are movable relative to each other along spars. The device allows brushes to be produced from a hard and a rubber-like soft plastic. The transfer of the parts from the first outer part to the second outer part via the cube-shaped central part is brought about by undercuts.
European patent EP 1155802 from the same applicant discloses an injection molding device with two production planes (parting planes) with a reversing system which is arranged between a stationary and a movable mold part and serves to mount a central mold part. The central mold part is held by a lower and an upper crossmember by means of holding means and arranged so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis. The crossmembers are guided on the spars of an injection molding machine. In order to compensate for the weight of the central mold part, the lower crossmember is, if necessary, supported on the machine bed of the injection molding machine. The holding means are arranged so as to be displaceable relative to one another in order to allow the central mold part to be exchanged. In a first production plane, a first material component is injected into a cavity, thus producing a first part. The part made of the first material component clings to the central mold part when the mold is opened, and is brought with the central mold part, by rotating the central mold part in one 180° or two 90° increments, into the second production plane, where it is operatively connected to a second material component after the mold has been closed. The central mold part is supported on the spars of an injection molding machine via holding devices.
EP 0895848, from Ferromatik Milacron Maschinenbau GmbH, discloses a further device with two parting planes. A central mold part, which is mounted in a lower and an upper crossmember and supported on a machine bed of an injection molding device, is arranged between a stationary and a movably arranged mold half. The central part is arranged so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis through 180° and has cavities only on two sides. The bearing in the region of the upper crossmembers can be opened so as to allow the central part to be removed.
EP 1119449 (referred to hereinafter as EP'449), from Krauss Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH, discloses an injection molding device with two production planes, with a stationary and a movable mold half. A mold central part, which is held on one side by means of a guide sunk in the machine bed of an injection molding machine and is arranged so as to be rotatable about an axis, is arranged between the two mold halves. The injection molding machine is for this purpose adapted so as to meet these particular requirements. The device described in EP'449 is suitable for producing parts from a plurality of plastic components.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,381B2 from Krauss Maffei discloses an injection molding device with a rotating central part. A central part, which is rotatable about a vertical axis, is arranged between two outer parts which are movable relative to each other along spars of an injection molding machine. The central part is arranged on a carriage supported on the machine bed of the injection molding device. The guide of the central part is not connected to the spar of the injection molding machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,251B2 from MGS Enterprises, Inc. discloses a further injection molding device with a rotatable central part, which device corresponds in terms of its construction largely to the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,381 B2.
WO03/049917 from Gram Technology APS describes in an unclear manner in the form of concept approaches and without specific solution proposals a type of injection molding device with a central part rotating about an axis of rotation. The inventor believes that the rotation should be utilized for closing hinge closures. Because the hinge closures are intended to be closed as the mold rotates, they cannot be arranged in any desired manner in the parting plane. For example, the open closures cannot be oriented parallel to the axis of rotation. Owing to the principles involved, this concept is highly limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,787,094B2 from Continental PET Technologies discloses an injection molding device for producing multilayered preforms for beverage packages. In this case too, a rotatable central part is arranged about a vertical axis between two outer parts which are movable relative to each other along spars. The central part is rotated in each case through 180°.
DE2215289 discloses an injection blow mold with a rotating central part which is arranged between a stationary first outer part and a second outer part, which is movable relative thereto, and serves to produce hollow bodies by injection blow molding. The outer parts surround the core formed by the central part.
JP55095544 from Japan Steel Works Ltd. discloses a device for assembly-type injection molding. An injection mold is arranged on an injection molding machine with two injection stations. A first mold outer part is arranged in a stationary manner and a second so as to be displaceable along four spars. Between the two mold outer parts, a mold central part is arranged so as to be rotatable about an axis and likewise displaceable along the spars of the injection molding machine. Secondary processing machines, which serve to process intermediate products held on the mold central part in a 90° position, are arranged at an angle of 90° relative to the longitudinal direction of the spars. The secondary processing machines are arranged in a stationary manner in relation to the injection molding machine, so that the secondary processing machines can be used only when the mold central part is stationary.
GB14807 from Mardon Illingworth discloses an injection molding device with a lid closing mechanism, integrated in a parting plane, for closures. The lid closing mechanism closes the closure in that the closure upper part is guided on a circular path toward the closure lower part.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,387 from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. discloses a device for removing workpieces from an injection molding device. The injection molding device is based on swivel arms which are swiveled from the side into the parting plane about an axis of rotation arranged parallel to the parting plane when the injection molding device is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,597 from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. discloses a device for unloading and assembling injection molded parts from an injection mold. The parts are grasped and assembled from different parting planes by means of grippers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,082 from Marland Mold Inc. discloses an injection mold with a lid closing mechanism, integrated in the region of the parting plane, for hinge closures. The lid closing mechanism is based substantially on a frame which is rotatable about an axis and acts on the closure upper part.
WO0228622 from Schoettli AG discloses a device for closing hinge closures in an injection mold with a large number of cavities. The device is pushed linearly from the side on a rail system in the region of the parting plane between the two mold halves when the injection mold is opened. The individual pushers are controlled by sliding blocks.
Drawbacks of the methods and devices known in the art include the fact that they do not allow precise positioning and thus efficient production of parts while including a third mold half. An efficient solution is possible only by an optimum interplay.